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Monday, Monday (Krissie)

It’s Monday, I’m still energetic (though in a shitload of pain, but hey, chest la vie. Or Det er liv, in Danish, but I imagine there’s an idiom. I have been studying Danish for 307 days straight (I’m doing Duolingo and it keeps track – it’s a free app and has tons of languages if anyone’s interested). I’ve also finally been watching the Craftsy courses I bought – I particularly like one on using precuts of Jenny the owner of Missouri Quilt Co. or whatever it’s called. there’s another on creative quilting with a walking foot, plus several others. I’ve been bouncing around, watching a lesson here and a lesson there.

Which brings us to the point that learning new things, or refining old things, is fun, rewarding, and really good for your brain. Yeah, it takes time, though for me it’s just part of my nighttime ritual. Instead of surfing or playing solitaire (well, I do a little of that) I do my dansk (the Danes don’t capitalize much) and Craftsy. The only drawback is that I do Pinterest and other craft ideas (look at patterns, etc) and it gets me energized at 11 at night, when I need to be falling asleep.

I might humbly suggest that you guys might consider taking a class. If I lived in civilization I’d love to take a hands on sewing class, but at this point my main options are on-line. (Though I’ve love to learn excel and they do sometimes have courses on that. I imagine I could also learn that on line).

I’m also relearning the guitar and learning new songs. I used to play a lot when I was young … I mean, really a lot. Guys would always get me to sing with their bands or just with them, I wrote songs, sang at weddings and benefits, etc. Richie and I first met over music. I’m slowly getting my fingers toughened up and can even play my Martin D-35 (which is a really stellar acoustic guitar). I stopped playing in my early thirties as writing became more demanding, and there have been so many wonderful songs since then that I never learned to play. Fortunately I have a decent ear for figuring out what the chords are for various songs, so it’s been fun and satisfying. I’m even learning “Elle a les yeux revolver” which inspired Black Ice and the ice series, arguably my most popular books.

So guys … any of you play the guitar when you were younger? Do you still have it around? Failing that, ukulele’s are easy and fun. In fact, back in 1963 I taught myself guitar on my father’s baritone uke – the four strings are the same as the top four on a guitar. I learned “Blowin in the Wind” and “We Shall Overcome” in the key of A. Ah, youth. Kennedy was still president and I was a sophomore in high school.

I digress. If you’re musical, drag out your guitar or buy a ukulele. Singing is really good for you physically and spiritually – the breathing, etc.

And learn something. I want you guys to do some research and find a course/class you want to take in the new year. Fuck losing weight – it never works and in the beginning the main reward is vanity. Check your local colleges and community centers, etc. Check on-line – Craftsy and tons more. If you’re not into it, tant pis (don’t know a Danish equivalent) but I don’t care. Choose something, and report back.

On a mixed note. Speaking of music, Mel Tillis just died. I used to sing “Mental Revenge” – one of his songs. And I’m sorry, but I saw that Charles Manson had died and I cheered. I don’t know if I believe in evil – I tend to think it’s sickness instead – but if evil existed there was a lot concentrated in that pathetic creature. I hope next time around he can expiate his sins. (No, I don’t want him roasting in hell if I believed such a thing existed).

Enough wickedness on my part.In the meantime, happy Thanksgiving. Richie and I will do it alone again (alas), but we’ll have fun. I’m going to try a canola oil piecrust – my aunt Ailie use to make fabulous pie crusts with cooking oil, so I’ll see how I far.

What are you doing for Thanksgiving? I know, too many questions, but I’m curious.

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8 thoughts on “Monday, Monday (Krissie)”

Brussel Sproutsays:

No Thanksgiving for us lot in UK/Isle of Man…normal week. We’re beginning the serious countdown until we move out…And in the meantime, I’m scraping together extra pennies by doing some exam marking, I have an online work-related course that requires 4 hours a week input until Dec 22 and all the normal marking essays and assignments, chasing students and writing reports that mark the end of the Autumn term….Nano has fallen off a cliff, sadly, but at least I got to 10,000 words!

I agree about abandoning the NY resolution re weight. That wasn’t what worked for me in terms of getting me onto the straight and narrow. The thing that worked was a nasty leg infection, and the lure of getting rid of aches and pains, and that has worked so well for me that I am really vigilant when it comes to monitoring weight and making sure I keep it off. I think NY resolutions should be about enriching and enhancing life, so the courses is a good one.

My aims for the NY – get to grips with demands of new job, and get the Nano mss to first draft by Easter and second draft in the summer. I am loving using Scrivener on ipad and if I do any kind of upgrade computer wise next year, am thinking it should be moving to iPad Pro rather than laptop.

We are taking our Yamaha piano with us to new house and I will try to plink away at it. Again you are so right – singing is just so good for you, physically, intellectuallym spiritually, and singing with others is a particular joy. It’s one of the huge pleasures of working in the kind of school where I have worked for the last four years (and hopefully for the future) that we have a chapel service 2-3 times a week with hymns. As an atheist, I tend to use the talk-y bits to meditate and zone out, but I love singing hymns. I have to say I find the whole experience quite therapeutic and restful.

After breaking my arm & fingers last month in Paris (night before last of our trip) and having surgery on the break,s after returning home, I can’t cook like I want to. My younger daughter’s mother-in-law invited us over to her house to join them. I am friends with her so it won’t be awkward like it could be.

I’ve purchased a few Craftsy classes and kits too, but until I heal I can’t work at my sewing machine.

Hope you feel better Krissie and that everyone who celebrates Thanksgiving has a stress-free, non-political meal.

I’m not sure just what I’ll find on-line but in the new year I have it learn about sewing and simple upholstery. I have a chair that needs redoing and I have to build some cushions for the bench Tall Boy and I will build for the back entrance of the house. It’s the one we use most and it’s not very effective as it is now.

Our new puppy, Fred, is adapting well. Charlie still isn’t keen on him but at least he’s stopped stress drooling and growling every time Fred walks by.

The first 2 months of 2018 are taken. January in South Padre Texas and February a 2 week motorcycle cruise. March is my annual trip to the Mayo Clinic. April starts riding season. June (I think) is a road trip around Michigan. August a family event on the beach in Rhode Island. 5 nights. The jelly roll that I unwrapped looks like it will take a year to get roundtoit. It will be an online class. 😉
Working on crafty things for a couple of dinners.
Made tree skirts for 2 of the grand girls , one is Harry Potter. They out grew the princess ones I made .
Have a very simple baby quilt in the works.
I put a beautiful thimble Christmas quilt in a silent auction at church. Seems to me that work like this never sells for what you have in it. Even just the fabric, not to mention the quilting and your labor.
Happiness (more like relief) is that the Box of Joy program is over and our church did very well. The other is that after much struggle, stress, grief our local hospital is going to be affiliated with (leased to) a larger hospital system-one that will not suffocate us. Either that or we are out of business in less than a year.
We are having the landscaping around the house redone, including the back patio. I cannot wait for it to be finished.
99% of my Christmas shopping is done–online
Thanksgiving will be just Joe and I . We are good with that.
However you celebrate. Where ever you are. Be Thankful

Happy Thanksgiving, Refabbers. Even if you don’t celebrate Thanksgiving, it is a good time to reflect on what you are thankful for. I am thankful it hasn’t frozen or snowed, although I am not particularly thankful for the huge amount of rain. I am thankful my husband makes the pies. I am thankful I have a wonderful neighbor who thinks it would be a tragedy for us to spend Thanksgiving alone (it wouldn’t) when we could be eating turkey with her and her family and other friends. Life is good.